The subject matter herein relates generally to a high voltage connector.
Increased fuel costs and increased efforts at reducing environmental pollution have lead the automotive industry towards electric and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). One design aspect of these vehicles is the consideration for the high operating voltage. Consequently, specific components of the vehicles must be designed to accommodate the high voltage.
In current automotive industry applications, a high voltage and electrical and magnetic compatible (EMC) shielded connector is needed to provide a stable, sealed mechanical and electrical connection. In some applications a connection is needed between a high voltage plug connector and a header connector mounted to an EMC shielded module. Other applications require an inline high voltage connector. Some known high voltage (HV) devices or connectors have interlock circuits that control when current is transmitted from a high voltage power source to electric loads. The interlock circuits may be used when engaging and disengaging high voltage male and female terminals inside their housings in a high voltage circuit. The interlock circuits ensure that high voltage male and female terminals are engaged prior to transferring the current along or through the high voltage circuit. Additionally, interlock circuits ensure that the high voltage male and female terminals are disengaged after discontinuing the current along or through the high voltage circuit.
For example, some known devices include a first connector, which may be a header connector or an inline connector. The first connector may be directly wired to an interlock circuit within the device. The first connector also may include a male terminal that transfers current through a high voltage circuit. A second mating or plug connector, containing a female terminal, mates with the first connector to electrically couple the high voltage male and female terminals. Meanwhile, a high voltage interlock (HVIL) circuit is electrically connected through low voltage male and female terminals. For example, the plug connector may include a conductive shunt that bridges the male and female terminals of the interlock circuit to close the interlock circuit. The plug connector also includes a high voltage female terminal. Sequentially, the high voltage female terminal mates first with the high voltage male terminal in the first connector to connect the high voltage circuit. The shunt of the plug connector mates second and closes the interlock circuit. This sequence allows the high voltage male and female terminals to mate prior to the interlock circuit closing and the transfer of high voltage current. Likewise, when the connectors are unmated, the reverse sequence is followed. The high voltage female terminal and high voltage male terminal connecting the high voltage circuit unmate before the shunt unmates and opens the interlock circuit. This sequence allows the high voltage male and female terminals to unmate after the interlock circuit is opened so there is no transfer of high voltage current. The purpose of interlock circuit is to avoid arcing during mating/unmating of high voltage female and male terminals.
However, current high voltage connectors have several problems. First, each terminal size requires a unique connector. Current connector housings are sized to accommodate only one size terminal. Also larger terminals may require larger connectors which in turn require more space to accommodate the connector and may be too large for certain applications. Additionally, connectors with shunted interlock circuits require a specific design to accommodate a set mating and unmating sequence. This may not be desirable for all applications. Third, in current designs, if the shunt is inside the connector, then the HVIL circuits are inside of the connector (internal shunt-internal HVIL circuits). Or, if the shunt is outside the connector, the HVIL circuits are outside the connector (external shunt-external HVIL circuits). Fourth, once two connector halves are tooled, the shunt side is determined either at the plug side or the first connector side. So the end user has to accommodate the design of the system to this. Fifth, the end user may prefer an inline interlock circuit instead of a shunt circuit, but current existing connectors do not offer this solution. The current designs are limited with little flexibility.
A need remains for a connector assembly that overcomes these and other problems with conventional connectors.